Metro Bus Accident Loch Street Claremont

Passengers' Lucky Escape.

A sensational accident, which fortunately did not result in serious injury, happened in Loch-street, Claremont,yesterday morning, when a large charabanc, carrying about six passengers, left the road and, after ploughing across some sand and a footpath, broke down a fence and a hedge and crashed through the wall of a house. The vehicle came to a standstill half inside a room of the house and scattered furniture, books, and paper all over the floor.

The accident occurred at 11.30 a.m. Mr. L. B. Jupp, a regular contributor of literary articles to 'The West Australian', was writing in the dining-room of his house at 24 Loch Street, when he heard a violent
crash. Investigating, he found that a large charabanc, owned by the Metro Omnibus Company, had crashed through the wall of his library. Although he was greatly shocked by the occurrence, Mr. Jupp rendered assistance to the passengers, who were all severely shaken. Only one passenger — Mrs. Totterdell, of Eileen Street, Cottesloe was injured, and her injuries were slight, her lip being cut and some teeth knocked out.

The charabanc was practically undamaged, and a peculiar feature of the accident was that, although the glass enclosed bus crashed against the window wall of the house, only a small pane glass in the window was broken. The whole window and a great portion of the wall was lifted bodily by the vehicle and carried into the room. Inside the room, plaster, broken woodwork, overturned tables and chairs, and scattered books showed the force of the impact.

The charabanc was driven by Joseph Lawson and the conductor was Miss Minnie Cox. It was stated that the charabanc was travelling downhill towards Fremantle, and when about 30 yards from the house, some portion of the steering gear failed and the vehicle commenced to run off the road. Skid marks on the road for a distance of about 15 yards showed plainly the efforts of the driver to stop. The bus was slowing down to pick up a passenger when the accident happened; otherwise the consequences would have been more serious.

The West Australian Wednesday 31st August 1928

Note: It was later determined by the police that the charabanc was in perfect working order at the time of the accident.